Oh the Weather Outside...

...is delightful!  I love sunny days.  The forecast shows that it is only suppose to get nicer too, yes!  I'm waking up to head back to Michigan tomorrow so I'm glad the weather will be nice for the drive.  

I couldn't fall asleep until 4:30am last night, ugh!  I hate nights like that.  Needless to say I'm pretty tired.

Last night I made some stir fry.  It turned out pretty good but it was very green.  I needed some other colors too.  I also had intentions of putting chicken in there but when I peeked in my freezer I was out!  Oh no!  It was good nonetheless.

I had just enough to bring the leftovers for lunch today.  The okra in this was definitely my fav!

I also made some of CNC's sweet potato oatmeal raisin cookies.  They are so delicious.  I was going to bring them to Keefer so I tried not to sneak too many.   ;)

For breakfast this morning I made some old fashioned oats with dried cranberries, agave and flaxseed.  I think the flaxseed really helped to hold me over until lunch.

I didn't have time to hit the gym when I got home from the hospital but it was too early for dinner so I heated up some broccoli with mozzarella and made a smoothie with raspberries, blueberries, oj and spinach!

The smoothie was good but I love bananas in mine.

Dinner was a salad and chicken noodle soup.  I'm trying to use up what I have before I go home for the weekend.

This soup does not look very good.  It actually is tasty but very salty too.

Michigan, here I come!

Tara (:

Sunday Funday

Happy Monday!  The sun is shining here in Chi and although it's not super warm the outlook for the week is mid SEVENTIES and sunny!  YEA!  I'm headed back to Mich on Wed. and the weather looks great there too!

My weekend was spent with Kristi.  I was only planning on staying with her one night but we had so much fun that I stayed both nights.  Our plan was so head to an MSU bar Friday night for the game but it was so packed that we just went to another one to watch them WIN!  Before I headed out I made a grilled cheese.

Saturday morning Kristi and I decided to try a new place for brunch called Orange.  I've heard a lot about it but I actually didn't think it was that great.  I was craving a pancake so I tried the cinnamon roll pancake but it was way too sweet.  It was also HUGE so I took most of it home and ate some for dessert later on.

Kristi got an omelette that looked much better.  I think I should have gotten hers instead.

We walked around the city for most of the day and decided to grab dinner at a place called Millers Pub.  I hate chicken pot pie with salad and they also served yummy rolls.  It wasn't the best pot pie ever but I think I'd go again.  The prices weren't too bad either for being right downtown.

We decided to relax and stay in on Saturday night so Sunday I woke up and she made me a yummy breakfast.  What a nice hostess!

There was another MSU game on yesterday (which they won...FINAL FOUR WOOOO) so we headed to the local bar to watch the game and grab a drink for a Sunday Funday.  I even got a lime with my name carved in!  haha

I ate shrimp at the bar yesterday but forgot to snap a pic.  

I woke up this morning and made some eggs and toast then hit the gym for an awesome work out.  It definitely feels great to have a nice workout after a weekend full of eats and drinks.

I was super hungry by the time I got home so I ate some cottage cheese, a salad and broccoli with some mozzarella on top (yum!)  I had a glass of milk too.

I can't believe it's Easter week.  Time is flying by.  When I get back I'll only have about a month of school left in the semester.  Crazy!!  Where did the time go!  I guess I better get crackin on some of these projects.

Tara (:

My Guest Post

Look at my guest post on Trading Up Downtown! (:

Let's Go State!

TGIF!!  Only one ten minute meeting with my director stands in the way of my weekend.  We are all meeting with her to discuss our goals.  Tonight I'm going into the city to meet up with one of my best friends and college roommates, Kristi.  We are going to watch MSU WIN tonight!  GO STATE!  I'm going to stay overnight with her tonight and we are going to hang around the city tomorrow.  I'm excited!

Yesterday I made some eggs to start my morning with some toast.

I had a nice workout with Hannah yesterday before class and then had some munchies in class that I forgot to take a picture of.  When I got home I spent some time working on a project dealing with different diets.  Look at this stack of different diets for different disease states, eek.

For dinner I had some Trader Joe's Pesto Tortellini and a yummy salad.  Milk too of course!

After class last night I went out for a couple drinks with the girls.  Always nice to end the night/week like that.

This morning I just wasn't in the mood for anything but cereal so I ate some mini wheats.  I'm sure I'll be hungry sooner than later.

Have a great weekend!

Tara (:

Sign

Made it through hump day!  

This morning I was excited because Marie and Gaby had to come to my hospital for a fair on National Nutrition Month which meant I didn't have to ride the train alone.  I don't usually mind because I read a book but it is always so much more fun to talk to people.

I started with some cream of wheat with agave but knew I needed some protein so I scrambled up an egg too.

Doesn't this almost look like a scoop of vanilla ice cream?

At the hospital we did a healthy snack demo and made fruit and yogurt parfaits.  Unfortunately they ran out so I didn't get to eat one but I snacked on some of the popcorn, my carrots, PBJ and a fiber bar.  We got out a bit early so I headed to the gym.  When I got out it was 4:15 but I was SO hungry so I decided to just eat dinner.  I had leftover pasta dish from the other night with asparagus that I topped with olive oil and parmasean cheese and grilled (my fav) and some cottage cheese.

I know I would be hungry later in the night but I suppose I just couldn't wait for dinner.  

I signed the lease for my new house tonight!!  I'm moving in the end of May and can't wait!!  It will be so great not to live in a studio anymore and to have roooomies!  I'll be counting down the days til I'm out of this apt!

I finished up some homework tonight and then my tummy started grumbling.  I made a salad topped with sprouts, avocado, onion, tomato, sugar snap peas, pepper and balsamic vinaigrette and it was yummy.  Then to cure my sweet tooth I finished off the pudding I made the other night.

I can't believe a week from today I'll be going home for Easter! Time is flying by!

Tara (:

PB Problemo

Phew, I made it through Tuesday.  They are my longest days because I have interning all day and then class.  It feels like a mini accomplishment when they are over.

Yesterday when Keefer left I gobbled up the rest of my dad's beef veggie stew.  YUM!

After the gym I ran to Johnny's to get their italian ice.  It is SO good and such a treat.  I just need to find out the nutrition facts.  I'm sure there is a fair share of sugar in there but the best part about it is that it's not TOO sweet.

I also snuck a piece of Gramma's oatmeal bread.

Before class I heated up my leftovers from the other night.  Roasted veggies and roasted chicken.  MMM

I grabbed some yogurt with my granola added to it for dessert.

This morning I had to wake up a bit early so that I could register for summer and fall classes (which means I'll only be registering for classes ONE more time, YAY!)  It was so nice to drink my coffee and relax instead of rush.  I added pb to my oatmeal this morning for some protein but for some reason I just CANNOT get into pb in the morning.  Weird, I know.  I also topped it with a nanner.

I snapped a pic of my lunch last night while packing and then dumb me left out my turkey sanwich.  Needless to say, I threw it away this morning and made a quick pbj.

Today I met with a patient at the hospital who was a type 2 diabetic in poor condition and he REFUSED to talk to me saying that he would not change any of his habits.  I know we all have habits that are hard to break but it's really sad that some people let it harm themselves.

I had lots to do after my internship and before class so I stopped at Subway for a turkey sub loaded up with veggies and some broccoli cheddar soup.  No pic, woops.

Dessert was chocolate and a smoothie tonight.  YUM!  My smoothie was a banana, OJ, whole grain drink, yogurt and an apple.  The apple was a weird texture but yummy.

(Blurry pic, eek)

Off to bed, night!

Tara (:

Spring in my Step

Hello bloggies!  Hope you all had a great weekend.  Mine was wonderful and relaxing!  Keefer came this weekend because I was dog/house-sitting for my mom's friend and didn't want to stay there alone.  It was nice to not be crammed in my studio but it's always good to be back in my own place with my own things. This weekend was filled with some good eats so here goes a mixture of my weekend...

Breakfast...

My usual cream of wheat with bananas.

Scrambled Eggs.

Old fashion oats with dried cranberries and cinnamon.

Keefer's hashbrowns.  YUM

Breakfast out!

This served as breakfast...and then again for lunch later.

Mine too!

Monday fuel.  Lots of eggs this weekend it seems, huh.

Lunch...

For lunch we tried this little place in town called Alpine Deli.  It was SO good and cheap.  I love finding these little gems.  It was cheap too!

One of our snacks...

Dinner was courtesy of Ellie Krieger this weekend.  She really has some amazing recipes.  This weekend we decided on tuscan roasted chicken and vegetables.  We added acorn squash, mushrooms and onions to the recipe.  It was SO good.  I cannot wait to eat the leftovers!

We paired it with some garlic bread we bought from the Alpine Deli...again, SO yummy!  This may be my new fav place.

Last night we prepared Ellie's penne roasted tomatoes, garlic, and white beans.  We used whole wheat shells instead of penne and pinto beans.  It was a GREAT recipe that I also can't wait to make again.  I think I may add spinach and more tomatoes next time though.

I also made salads topped with tomatoes, onions, sprouts, mushrooms, olives, croutons, avocados, pepper and balsamic dressing.  Green beans on the side too!

This wasn't everything we ate this weekend but it's everything I remembered to take a pic of.  (There may have been some brownies in there too haha.)

Last night I made a batch of pudding and we topped it with a banana!

Keefer got to stay a bit later tonight so we got to go for a nice walk.  It's beautiful outside but still a little chilly.  I LOVE thinking that summer is getting so close.  Can't wait to have warm weather and a year of grad school under my belt.

(So glad I was walking and not taking the train anywhere today!)

I'm off to ask for donations for National Nutrition Month and hit the gym.  Happy Spring!

Tara (: